Cinema Akil will be screening a lineup of 10 feature films and five shorts, offering a diverse array of genres including drama, adventure, documentary, and animation.
The Institut Français UAE and Cinema Akil, the sole independent cinema in the GCC, have announced the return of the Franco Film Festival. In collaboration with the Embassies of France, Switzerland, Canada, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Lebanon in the United Arab Emirates, this event is set to grace the screens of Cinema Akil from February 23 to 29.
Celebrating French language and culture, the festival’s 14th edition promises a captivating week-long celebration centred around the theme of ‘family’ – a profound subject deeply ingrained in cinematic history. Showcasing a curated selection of both contemporary releases and timeless classics, Cinema Akil invites cinephiles to explore the diverse narratives woven by French-speaking filmmakers.
The festival’s lineup boasts a rich tapestry of 10 feature films and five shorts spanning various genres including drama, adventure, documentary, and animation. Opening night festivities will kick off with Marie Amachoukeli’s heartwarming tale, Ama Gloria, followed by Elena Avdija’s insightful documentary, Stuntwomen, delving into the portrayal of women’s roles in cinema.
Highlights of the festival include Thomas Cailley’s visionary animated feature The Animal Kingdom, Michèle Jacob’s atmospheric suspenser The Lost Children, and Leonor Serraille’s poignant drama Mother and Son. Additionally, the programme features Marya Zarif & André Kadi’s animated masterpiece, Dounia and the Princess of Aleppo, offering a unique perspective on the Syrian migrant experience.
The festival also presents an exclusive screening of Rebecca Zlotowski’s Other People’s Children and the captivating drama Mr. Blake at Your Service! starring John Malkovich. Director Karim Bensalah will engage in an in-person Q&A following the screening of his film Six Feet Over.
In a special tribute to François Truffaut’s timeless classic, The 400 Blows, the festival revisits the exploration of youth and freedom.
Speaking about The Franco Film Festival, Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the United Arab Emirates, said: “With the Franco Film Festival, we are not just showcasing movies; we are celebrating a spirit — a spirit of innovation and artistic exploration. Francofilm is a vibrant celebration of the Francophonie and its values in the UAE. Let’s remember that the UAE is an important player in the francophone community, as the country is an associate-member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, and is home to approximately 400,000 French speakers and a large network of schools and universities teaching in French. The festival is also a reminder of the dynamism of French cinema abroad, as in 2023, French films attracted 37.4m spectators and generated 234.0m euros in the international box office. I want to seize this opportunity to warmly thank our sponsors and our valuable partners, such as the francophone embassies, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi and Cinema Akil.”
Butheina Kazim, Founder of Cinema Akil, added: “We are looking forward to presenting the 14th edition of the Franco Film Festival with this year’s lineup of film; a reflection on the diverse facets of family life and its complexities. In a diverse city like Dubai, we aim to showcase myriad experiences and definitions of our annual thematics during this robust Festival presented and celebrated in their original language.”
In line with promoting cultural exchange, Cinema Akil and The Institut Français UAE teamed up with the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi to present an open-air French-language film festival in the heart of the capital from February 29 to March 3.
Prof. Nathalie Martial-Braz, Vice Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, stated: “We are thrilled to co-organise this year’s edition of FrancoFilm in Abu Dhabi, as part of its year of Francophonie. During four days, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi will transform its premises into an outdoor cinema to showcase the “symphony of French voices” through the diverse francophone movies selected. FrancoFilm aligns with the University’s ambitions to develop a year-round program around French & Francophone cinema and participates in the collective effort of the francophone institutions and communities in the UAE to make the Francophonie flourish.”
The Franco Film Festival will run from February 23 to February 29 at Cinema Akil.
